India or the art of surprise. What was true last week may no longer be today… After the failed trip by the General Directorate of Armaments (DGA) to India last week, there is no question the announcement of arms contracts during the visit to Paris (13 and 14 July ) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi , who will be attending the military parade on July 14. This is no longer the case today. The Indian Ministry of Defense strove to validate on 13 July during the defense acquisition committee (DAC, defense acquisitions board) the sale of 26 Rafale Marine and three submarines, explained to the Gallery. This has taken France completely by surprise, believing again last week that the announcement of this order was premature and delayed.

After the DAC, the Rafale and the submarine have to be approved at the Indian Prime Minister level by the CCS (Government Safety Committee), then the two manufacturers – Dassault Aviation and Naval Group – will enter into negotiations to sign the contract. This is a long way to go which could lead to the expected signing in mid-2024. India had purchased the Rafale from Dassault Aviation on behalf of its air force (36 aircraft were delivered between 2020 and 2022) as well as six Scorpene submarines in 2005 as part of a major technology transfer. -mass. The two countries are also in discussions to supply six EPRs to India.

India/France: A strategic partnership

For Narendra Mod, this is his fifth visit (2015, 2017, 2019 and 2022) since being elected as head of state. The Prime Minister of India and Emmanuel Macron will have dinner together on July 13, then attend the July 14 parade, speak around 5pm at the Élysée and finally participate in a dinner at the Louvre with 200 guests. In 1998, relations with India were upgraded to the level of a strategic partnership during Jacques Chirac’s visit for India’s national holiday. Since then, the two countries have continued to act together “based on extraordinary mutual trust and shared commitment to the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations”, the Elysee explained in the press kit. France and India are each the oldest strategic partners in the Indo-Pacific.

Concretely, the two armed forces regularly train together by conducting the annual joint naval exercise “Varuna” since 1983, which has been added over the last fifteen years to air (“Garuda”) and inter-service (“Shakti”) exercises. India is participating in regional exercises initiated by France (IMEX in 2022, La Pérouse in 2022 and 2023). The two countries also recently conducted joint patrols in the Indian Ocean. Finally, a joint logistics support agreement was agreed in 2008.